Pressure actuated valve



Feb. 20, 1962 w. E. AULT PRESSURE ACTUATED VALVE Filed April 2, 1959 IN V EN TOR. Wayrz e E. A u]!- ATTORNE).

3,Zl,3 Patented Feb. 20, l$52 3,021,903 PRESSURE ACTUATED VALVE Wayne E. Ault, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Auto= matic Sprinkler Corporation of America, Youngstown, Shin, a corporation of Deiaware Filed Apr. 2, H59, Ser. No. 803,599 Claims. (Ci. 169-19) This invention relates to a pressure actuated valve and more particularly to a valve for use in controlling water, foam and other fire extinguishing agents and releasing the same instantaneously upon increase of air pressure.

The principle object of the invention is the provision of a simple positive acting valve responsive in operation to rapid change in air pressure.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure actuated valve that is exceedingly rapid in operation and incorporates relatively few mechanical parts.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure actuated valve that requires no external energy to operate.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure actuated valve for controlling an extinguishing agent at the point of detection of air pressure differences for immediate application of the extinguishing agent.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure actuated valve that can be used to apply fire extinguishing or fire controlling agents at the greatest possible speed after incipient ignition of fuel and/ or other combustible materials.

The pressure actuated valve disclosed herein is particularly useful in detecting blast or high gas velocities mechanically and to operate rapidly to deliver fire extinguishing fluid at the point of detection. The total elapsed time from blast or high velocity pressure change to valve opening is under 12 milliseconds and as a result hazardous fuels susceptible of accidental combustion may be supervised and controlled within the relatively short time in which control must be applied to be effective.

The pressure actuated valve disclosed herein is particularly useful in detecting extremely fast pressure increases and simultaneously operating. The valve is completely mechanical with relatively few moving parts and requires no external energy for its operation. It may be advantageously employed in supervising pressure vessels as it is capable of operating instantaneously on small pressure increases.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying, drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view or" the pressure actuated valve with protective housing removed.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the pressure actuated valve shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the pressure actuated valve shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a front view of the pressure actuated valve showing the same in post-operative position.

By referring to the drawings and FIGURES l, 2 and 3 in particular it will be seen that the pressure actuated valve is attached to and forms a part of a delivery pipe through which a fire extinguishing agent is adapted to be delivered as through the orifice in a nozzle 11, and which nozzle 11 may be arranged to deliver the fire extinguishing agent in any desired pattern or condition. The nozzle Iii is normally closed by valve element or cap 32 which in turn is pivotally mounted on a lever 13 having a central bifurcated section 14. The lever 13 is pivoted by pivot pin 15 to a bifurcated bracket 16 which is secured to a collar 17 which in turn is mounted on the pipe 1% adjacent the nozzle 11. A secondary bifurcated bracket 18 is formed on the opposite side of the'collar 1'7 with respect to the bifurcated bracket 16 and journals a rod 19 positioned therethrough, one portion of which extends outwardly therefrom and has 2. depending arm 2% secured thereto. A bifurcated arcuate arm 21 is attached to the rod 12 between the respective portions of the secondary bifurcated bracket 18 and the upper end thereof is provided with a transversely positioned shaft 22 which is adapted to register over an out turned curved end .23 formed on the lever 13.

It will thus be seenthat when the valve element is engaged in the nozzle 11 and the lever 13 is substantially horizontal, as seen in FIGURES l and 2, with the curved end 23 thereof positioned beneath the shaft 22 in the upper end of the bifurcated arcuate arm 21 the valve element 12 closes the nozzle 11 tightly.

A body member 24 is secured to the rod 19 and to a secondary collar 25 positioned on the pipe 16 therebelow and serves to mount adiaphragm case 26 which includes a diaphragm, not shown, having a diaphragm pin 27 extending through an opening 28 in the approximate center of the case 26. The diaphragm case 26 has a pitot tube 2% in communication with the area between the case as and the diaphragm therein on the opposite side thereof from the pin 27 so that increases in air pressure are conveyed into the diaphragm case 26 thereby. The area in the diaphragm case 2e on the other side of the diaphragm is vented to atmosphere through the opening 28.

It will be observed that the rod 19 extends through an opening in the body member 24- and that the arm 20 thereon is spaced with respect to the body member 24 and that it is also spaced with respect to a plate 3%) posi tioned across the front of the diaphragm case 2.6. The plate 30 has a portion 31 with a forwardly extending stop 32 thereon against which the arm 2%) will engage, as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawing.

The arm 24} is normally held in the position illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings by engagement with a pin 33 secured to a secondary arm 34 which in turn is pivoted at one end to the body member 24 by means of a pivot 35. The free end of the secondary arm 34 has an extension 36 thereon which is normally supported on an inturned end 37 of a lever 38 which is pivoted on a pin 39 between two upturned portions 40- of the plate 30. A guide 41 restricts the motion of the end 36 of the secondary arm 34 to an arcuate path based on the pivot 35 and a portion 42 of the guide 41 supports one end of a spring 43 which has its other end secured to an upturned end 44 of the lever 38. The spring 43 thus biases the inturned end 37 of the lever 38 inwardly toward the diaphragm pin 27 and a bolt 45 positioned through the lever 38 provides adjustable engagement with the diaphragm pin 27 thus movement of the diaphragm pin 27 outwardly of the diaphragm case 26 through the opening 28 in the diaphragm case and an opening in the plate 30 will move the lever 38 and in particular the end 37 thereof outwardly from in under the extension 36 of the secondary arm 34 and thereby permit the arm 34 to drop by gravity and free the arm 20 from its engagement with the pin 33 whereupon the arcuate bifurcated arm 21 moves sufiiciently to disengage the shaft 22 from the curved outer end 23 of the lever 13 which is thereby reed and permits the valve element 12 to move outwardly of the nozzle 11 and thus permit the discharge of the fire extinguishing agent therethrough. The operating time for this sequence of actions being less than 12 milliseconds on an average renders the opening of the valve element 12 practically simultaneously with the increase in pressure in the pitot tube as heretofore described.

By referring now to FIGURE 4 of the drawings it will be seen that the pressure actuated valve of FIGURE 1 is shown in operated position with the secondary arm 34 in lowermost position engaging a bumper 46. The valve is reset manually after opening by engaging the valve element 12 in the nozzle 11, positioning the bifurcated arcuate arm on the end of the lever 13 and moving the secondary arm 34- to re-engage the inturncd end 37 of the lever 38 which action will secure the end of the arm 20 behind the pin 33 on the secondary arm 34-.

t will thus be seen that the pressure actuated valve disclosed herein meets the several objects of the invention and having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a pipe having a discharge nozzle at the end thereof through which fluid is supplied, a valve cap for closing said nozzle, a lever having one end pivotally mounted on said pipe and a central section pivoted to said valve cap, supports on said pipe, a rod positioned transversely of and journaled in said supports, a secondary lever secured to said rod and movably engaging the end of the first mentioned lever, an arm secured to said rod, a secondary arm pivoted at one end to s id supports, a release mechanism incorporating a diaphragm in a diaphragm case secured to said supports, both sides of said diaphragm case having openings to atmosphere, a pitot tube defining one of said openings in one side of said diaphragm case, said pitot tube having an open outer end facing in substantially the same direction as the discharge nozzle on said pipe whereby rapid increases in pressure from a. particular point of origin are rapidly detected and fluid is directed through the discharge nozzle toward such point of origin, a third lever in said release mechanism engaging said diaphragm and said secondary arm, said third lever acting when moved by said diaphragm to free said secondary arm to permit said arm and said secondary lever to move to free said first mentioned lever.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mentioned lever is bifurcated in said central section and said valve is pivoted loosely to said bifurcated area thereof, and wherein said first mentioned lever is normally disposed at right angles to said nozzle and immediately in front of the same.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the releasemechanism includes a body member supported on a pair of collars engaged on said discharge pipe and wherein said first mentioned lever is pivoted to a bifurcated bracket positioned on one of said collars and wherein said supports journaling said rod are positioned on said collar.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said pitot tube is positioned in spaced parallel relation with said pipe.

5. The combination of a pipe having a discharge orifice at one end thereof and a pressure actuated valve for controiling said discharge orifice in said pipe and comprising at least one collar adapted to be secured to said pipe adjacent said discharge orifice, brackets on said collar extending in oppositely disposed relation, a first lever pivoted at one of its ends to one of said brackets and extending across said discharge orifice, a valve element movably secured to a central section of said first lever and engaging said discharge orifice, a rod journaled in the other of said brackets, a second lever secured to said rod and engaging the other end of said first mentioned lever so as to retain the same, a body member secured to said collar, said rod passing through an opening in said body member, an arm secured to said rod in spaced relation to said body member, a diaphragm case secured to said body member, each side of said diaphragm case having an opening therein, a pitot tube positioned in one of said openings and having the outer portion thereof disposed in spaced parallel relation to said pipe, an opening formed through the outer end of said pitot tube, said opening facing in the same general direction as said discharge orifice whereby rapid increases in pressure from a particular point of origin are rapidly detected and fluid is directed through the dischargeorifice toward such point of origin, a third lever in said release mechanism engaging said diaphragm and said secondary arm, said third lever acting when moved by said. diaphragm to free said secondary arm to permit said arm and said secondary lever to move to free said first mentioned lever, a pin in the other of said openings engaging said diaphragm, a release mechanism including a third. lever having a portion engaging said pin, a secondary arm pivoted at one of its ends to said mechanism and having its opposite end engaged on said third lever, a secondary pin on said secondary arm, said first arm being normally engaged by and retained 'by said secondary pin, a guide member in said release mechanism defining an arcuate path for said secondary arm and a stop member in said mechanism for limiting the motion of said first arm whereby pressure introduced into said diaphragm case through said pitot tube moves said diaphragm and motion of said diaphragm moves said third lever to free said secondary arm to releasesaid first arm to permit said secondary lever to disengage said first lever and'permit said valve element to open said discharge orifree in said pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 746,393 Shaw Dec. 8, 1903 846,335 McAlear Mar, 5, 1907 1,706,942 Smith Mar. 26, 1929 1,847,628 Salmond Mar. 1, 1932 1,869,201 Lowe July 26, 1932 1,947,309 Rowley Feb. 13, 1934 2,213,527 Lowe Sept. 3, 1940 2,333,130 Thomsen Nov, 2, 1943 2,355,185 Thomsen Aug. 8, 1944 2,502,755 Rowley Apr. 4, 1950 2,665,624 Arthur June 12, 1954 2,815,705 Jensen Dec. 10, 1957 

